Chapter 77 (Second Update)
Ever since Chizen Ichimura completely left the scene, no one in the Ouli Guild could challenge the old guild's position as the number one.
According to headquarters' policy, Ouli members have priority over other players in executing quests posted on Ouli's territory. In other words, Ouli can arbitrarily snatch quest clues from other players.
This is contrary to Captain Li's strategy of attracting as many foreign players as possible.
The old man is affiliated with the headquarters, so one can imagine what will happen when he sets foot on the land of Zhongxu. Among the players who come to Zhongxu Town to try their luck, who can resist the top super god who ranks third on the Destiny List?
Herring asked anxiously, "Minister, what should we do then?"
"I have already made a request to the headquarters. Before sending out the old personnel, the Zhongsu branch should first conduct a self-inspection. If the self-inspection is unsuccessful, the old personnel will come forward." Captain Li said.
"Self-examination? There's no Ghost Mother in this town, so self-examination will definitely yield no results!"
Herring was right, but other than this stalling tactic, Captain Li was out of options. Facing pressure from headquarters, what could a lowly branch director like him do?
"I've decided. The mid-year assessment is in three days. All ministers will attend the holographic meeting held at headquarters."
Captain Li gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "If you delay for more than three days, I will argue with headquarters at the assessment meeting!"
After the words fell, Herring fell silent, and you could hear a pin drop in the room.
He is the confidant personally selected and trained by Captain Li, and his understanding of the game is much deeper than that of ordinary members.
The Soul-Guiding Song is more than just a game; it holds a hidden divine revelation. Nations are vying to surrender to China, all for a place in the game.
Success or failure in the game is as serious as national security. Guilds from all nationalities, not just the Oli Guild, are filled with players who have military backgrounds. Guild leaders wield real power both in the virtual and real world.
The minister wanted to argue with headquarters? This was a fight of all-out effort. It required tremendous courage and determination!
Herring couldn't help but start to wonder, if one day he really took the position of minister, would he be able to show the same courage?
"minister……"
Herring instinctively wanted to persuade him, saying that if Captain Li gave up Zhongsu and became a director elsewhere, or even gave up the game, headquarters wouldn't treat him unfairly. But Captain Li interrupted him.
"What happened to the other Yong'an?" Captain Li asked, his expression relaxed.
To be precise, it is not "Yong'an" but "Yong'an".
A week ago, a tavern less than a hundred meters away from the Yong'an Hotel quietly changed its owner. After intensive renovation, it reopened three days ago.
When the curtains fell, everyone realized that this restaurant, aside from being a little smaller, was identical in every way to the Yong'an Restaurant. Of course, the "Yong" character on the sign had an extra "口" (mouth) in it.
At first, Captain Li thought that An Rou had opened a branch, so he went to congratulate her in person. Only then did he learn from Manager Jin that the store had nothing to do with An Rou at all.
It was opened by the town mayor Heng Batong.
From the decor to the menu prices, everything was copied from Wing On, and they even secretly sent people to poach Chef Li from Wing On. Unfortunately, even after offering three times the salary, they couldn't even poach Chef Li, let alone a waiter.
The employee code of conduct set by An Rou played a huge role at the critical moment, and even stopped the NPC from being "money-worshipping".
Magic beats magic.
Undeterred, Heng Batong sent someone to the Yong'an Hotel to buy a pickled fish dish for research. After all, the Yong'an Hotel didn't explicitly stipulate that it only served those destined for heaven. The chef Heng Batong hired also successfully imitated the pickled fish dish with a similar taste.
"This morning, Hengbatong hired a lot of shills, all NPCs, of course, but their tactics were very effective. Before noon, they had already attracted many unsuspecting players into the store. But..."
Herring changed the subject, "After the players realized they'd been tricked, they smashed the store, and even Hengbatong was so angry they rushed over. — Minister, I'm worried he'll issue another ban on the Chosen Ones."
Because the ban issued by Chiqian Yiming was withdrawn after a week.
Captain Li pondered, "People die for money. Even if the destiny value is cut in half, as long as Zhongsu Town continues to release missions, many people will still come."
"But I'm worried that if the Mandate is cut in half, there will be fewer low- and mid-level players coming. If all the players are high-level, there will be few people in our department who can compete."
Herring's concerns are not unfounded.
Captain Li asked, "What's Heng Batong's reaction?"
Herring: "After the store was smashed, he went straight to the Yinlai Guild Hall and scolded President Tang."
The reason he knew this was because Ou Li had spies in the Yinlai Guild—quite simply, facing the olive branch extended by the second-largest guild in Lengbing City, no member of a small guild would be unmoved. And this foreshadowing had already been quietly laid by Captain Li when Yinlai arrived in Zhongsu.
Captain Li asked again, "How did Tang Lang deal with him?"
"Just like before, coaxing her and trying my best to maintain Heng Batong's favorability. An Rou hasn't appeared in the restaurant for a long time, and Tang Lang has no choice."
Captain Li sneered, "How could he not know about An Rou's situation at the farm? It's not that he has no other options, but he feels that Heng Ba Tong hasn't been pushed to the limit yet. When Heng Ba Tong really gets desperate and promises him big enough benefits, Tang Lang will definitely not be able to sit still."
Herring: "What about us?"
Captain Li: "Continue to monitor and wait and see what happens."
-
"Is it really broken?"
"It really was smashed. The guy was so angry when he talked about it. He smashed it himself. The sign was chopped into several pieces."
An Rou raised her eyebrows, a little surprised.
She had long known that Hengbatong had opened a shop imitating Yong'an, but she hadn't taken any action. True gold fears no fire; it was only a matter of time before that knockoff shop ran out of business.
What surprised her was that the player actually smashed the store directly. Wasn’t he afraid of lowering Hengbatong’s favorability?
It seems like consumers in games are not easy to mess with! In real life, if you get scammed, you have to go through the trouble of filing a complaint, but in games, people just start smashing things up at the drop of a hat.
Paopao said, "Hengbatong specifically put the blame on the boss. Boss, since we're doing business on his territory, wouldn't it be better for him to manage it a little?"
An Rou sneered: "Let me ask you, who is the most powerful force in Zhongsu Town?"
Paopao scratched his head: "If we don't count our farm, Ouli, Captain Li, right?"
"That's where Captain Li stands?"
"Of course it's on our side."
"Where are the townspeople on?"
"Town residents? Those NPCs, probably... they don't take sides. Hengbatong's reputation isn't exactly good."
An Rou smiled: "That's it, then. If Heng Batong can be the mayor, why can't I?"
Paopao was shocked: "Mayor? Boss, you want to be the mayor?!!!"
It's common for players to impersonate NPCs, but to do so successfully as An Rou, and to be able to manipulate the screen through a bug, is truly appalling. To step into NPC management? It's unthinkable!
An Rou gave him a look that said "Why not?" and admired Paopao so much that he looked like a little pug with sparkling eyes.
"Of course, the most important thing right now is to stabilize the fish-eating business and accumulate capital," said An Rou.
Paopao: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” The boss is wise and powerful, and everything he says is right.
He just thought that the boss had set a grand goal for the startup company, but he didn't know that this idea had just come up with An Rou.
The reason is simple: to get rich quickly.
Taking advantage of the sudden wealth upgrade hibernation, An Rou asked Paopao for detailed information about the classification of ghoul levels. She then learned that although SSS-level ghouls are commonly known as top-level ghouls, they are not truly top-level.
Above the SSS level, there is the Ghost King.
For most ordinary players, playing Soul-Calling Song is a livelihood, a shortcut to overnight wealth. But for the top players at the top of the pyramid, the Ghost King is their goal.
They have deep backgrounds and abundant resources, and in real life, they have no shortage of money. Complete quests to become a Super God; complete advanced quests to activate the Ghost Ruins, engage in the ultimate battle with the Ghost King, and ascend to the Hall of Legend - this is the action logic of the top players.
In other words, even if you become rich overnight and upgrade to SSS level, you are not invincible at all.
Among the historical players who have reached the Hall of Legend, there are many who have single-handedly killed SSS-level ghouls. And there are only 0 who have completed the ultimate battle and killed the Demon King.
"It is said that if the Ghost King is eliminated, this game will no longer exist." Paopao said.
In other words, if An Rou wants to train Bao Fu to be an invincible bodyguard, there is only one way: let Bao Fu become the Ghost King.
Is it possible?
Of course not.
"It's clearly written in the game introduction that there will only be one final boss in Soul Song from beginning to end. He can only be eliminated and cannot be replaced."
Since it is impossible, An Rou's plan needs to be adjusted.
Or, you can follow the old path, and when the farm reaches the conditions of self-sufficiency, take Bao Fu and An You Nian away from the players, run to the land of no life, and live a life of hiding.
Or, take root in Zhongsu Town and turn Zhongsu Town into a kingdom controlled by An Rou.
This is a more arduous path. After all, Zhongsu Town is just one of the 216 small towns in Lengbing City's secondary security zone. Even the major guilds can't achieve isolation, let alone An Rou.
If you are not careful, you will fall into the abyss besieged by millions of players.
The rare moment of relaxation turned heavy again. An Rou suddenly asked, "How long will Bao Bao's hibernation last?"
I don’t know even Paopao.
Before this, he had always thought that the ghoul's upgrade was a matter of a split second, and had no idea that there was a dormant period.
Paopao thought Anrou was worried and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Boss. Wang Dachui is now an A-level ghoul. He can easily control Zhang Bala. Other C-level ghouls are a piece of cake. Besides--"
He said nothing more, but gave me an admiring look.
An Rou rolled her eyes secretly.
This kid wanted to say that she was the Half Moon Princess, a top super god.
If I were really number two on the Destiny List, why would I bother hiding?
Whenever this happens, An Rou wants to open Paopao's head to see whether this child's IQ is 200 or 20.
An Rou sighed silently.
I hope nothing unexpected happens before Baobao wakes up.
But what Paopao said was not wrong. The fish-eating business was already on the right track. If you really look at it, Wang didn't contribute much to the sudden wealth during this period. He played a more stable role.
Even in an emergency, she could release the restrictions on Wang Da and allow him to continue upgrading. With Wang Da's calm demeanor, an S-level player might be able to exert SS-level strength.
The two of them carried kerosene lamps and once again took a night tour of the farm.
There is no shortage of money or labor. After half a month of continuous construction, the farm has undergone a brand new transformation.
The wooden gate was replaced with a sleek iron gate painted a refreshing green. The wooden fence was also removed and replaced with a three-meter-high stone wall, covered with white tiles inside and out.
The staff dormitory not far from the entrance was expanded into a two-story building and turned upside down. This way, it blocks the sight of the guards on the city wall in the distance, preventing the ghoul employees from accidentally exposing their identities.
The pickle shed was no longer made of wood, but was made of sturdy brick and concrete, and its area was doubled again. The empty space would soon be filled with the pickle jars that were delivered.
The chicken coop and duck shed were also enlarged and merged together, no longer connected to the bungalow, so as to avoid the house being filled with the stench of poultry.
The vegetable patch has doubled in size again. The transplanted vegetables are lush and green, and the rapeseed seeds sown earlier have also sprouted one after another. It looks full of vitality during the day.
An Rou invested heavily in planting. She did not adopt conventional fertilization methods, but asked Paopao to look up information offline and directly spend money to adjust the soil composition and humidity for each kind of fruit and vegetable.
As a result, not only the vegetable plots, but even the pear trees by the pond grew luxuriantly at a speed incomprehensible to ordinary NPCs, beginning to produce delicate and lovely buds. Walking by the pond, one could almost smell the delicate fragrance of the pear blossoms.
Thanks to the game, there are no four seasons in the Soul Realm. The weather is slightly chilly in early spring all year round, which is just right for the growth of most plants.
When she has some free time, An Rou decides to try greenhouse farming, also spending money to change the air temperature and humidity, so that she can eat tropical fruits that are unique to the Soul Realm.
There are only two things on the farm that remain unchanged: the bungalow and the pond.
The walls of the current bungalow were too thin, and there were too few rooms. It was a far cry from the idyllic villa Anrou had dreamed of. She hadn't yet decided how to renovate it, and the tight layout of the surrounding area didn't allow her to expand the house too much.
There was also a pond—a "fish pond" would be a more appropriate name. An Rou had originally wanted to build a plank road in the pond and a "lake pavilion," but after looking around, she decided against it.
In order to supply the restaurant, the pond is filled with fish, so densely populated that it completely loses the artistic conception of still water and ripples.
She needed to move the fish pond out and dig a separate pond where she could enjoy the wind and scenery.
All the problems boil down to one crux - the farm only has eight acres of land, which is half a football field in reality. It is too small.
Not only the villa and the pond, but also the bamboo forest, tropical fruit garden, and strawberry picking garden that An Rou envisioned, there was even no place to put the rice and wheat fields that were most needed for self-sufficiency.
"By the way, boss, I passed by several previous mission sites today and saw that several stores were selling them at quite low prices." Paopao said.
An Rou said "hmm": "Then go online early tomorrow at noon and we'll go buy it."
Speaking of this, An Rou's mood improved a bit.
When she designed the fish-eating business, she chose only vacant houses or ruins as her mission sites. Throughout her many operations, her employees never harmed a single NPC. However, the townspeople were deeply terrified of the ghouls. Whenever a ghoul appeared, business in nearby shops would drop significantly, and many NPC owners simply closed their shops and left.
This allowed An Rou to snag a significant bargain. She could buy a shop originally valued at 200,000 gold at a discount of less than 50%. After all, other than her, no other wealthy NPC owner would dare to take over such a shop.
No one dares to go there, so why would they just let it collect dust?
An Rou didn't have such concerns, and she didn't buy the property just to open a shop. The building itself was worth her while.
Building the farmhouse had cost her a full 500,000 gold. Building a house from scratch in the Soul Realm was incredibly expensive. And those despised shops were selling things as cheap as cabbage. Even if they were dismantled into parts and brought to the farm for recycling, it would still be worth it.
She has many more ideas for the farm, and if she stocks them up, they will come in handy sooner or later.
It's no exaggeration to say that An Rou currently owns the most shops in Zhongsu Town. Even the tycoon Lin, who once owned over a dozen grain store chains, pales in comparison to her.
An Rou thought for a moment and said, "Stop eating fish tomorrow. After buying the shop, accompany me to the mayor's house."
"Ah?" Paopao was surprised. "What are you going there for?"
The fake restaurant in Hengbatong was just smashed. Wouldn’t it be unlucky to come to their door at this time?
An Rou smiled slightly, her gaze seeming to pass through the farm wall under the night sky and fall on the vast wasteland outside.
"Buy land."
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